There was an earl that hight Grip, and this earl made great war upon
the king, and put the king to the worse, and besieged him. And on a
time Sir Kehydius, that was son to King Howel, as he issued out he was
sore wounded, nigh to the death. Then Gouvernail went to the king and
said: Sir, I counsel you to desire my lord, Sir Tristram, as in your
need to help you. I will do by your counsel, said the king. And so he
yede unto Sir Tristram, and prayed him in his wars to help him: For my
son, Sir Kehydius, may not go into the field. Sir, said Sir Tristram, I
will go to the field and do what I may. Then Sir Tristram issued out of
the town with such fellowship as he might make, and did such deeds that
all Brittany spake of him. And then, at the last, by great might and
force, he slew the Earl Grip with his own hands, and more than an
hundred knights he slew that day. And then Sir Tristram was received
worshipfully with procession. Then King Howel embraced him in his arms,
and said: Sir Tristram, all my kingdom I will resign to thee. God
defend, said Sir Tristram, for I am beholden unto you for your
daughter’s sake to do for you.
Then by the great means of King Howel and Kehydius his son, by great
proffers, there grew great love betwixt Isoud and Sir Tristram, for
that lady was both good and fair, and a woman of noble blood and fame.
And for because Sir Tristram had such cheer and riches, and all other
pleasaunce that he had, almost he had forsaken La Beale Isoud. And so
upon a time Sir Tristram agreed to wed Isoud la Blanche Mains. And at
the last they were wedded, and solemnly held their marriage. And so
when they were abed both Sir Tristram remembered him of his old lady La
Beale Isoud. And then he took such a thought suddenly that he was all
dismayed, and other cheer made he none but with clipping and kissing;
as for other fleshly lusts Sir Tristram never thought nor had ado with
her: such mention maketh the French book; also it maketh mention that
the lady weened there had been no pleasure but kissing and clipping.
And in the meantime there was a knight in Brittany, his name was
Suppinabiles, and he came over the sea into England, and then he came
into the court of King Arthur, and there he met with Sir Launcelot du
Lake, and told him of the marriage of Sir Tristram. Then said Sir
Launcelot: Fie upon him, untrue knight to his lady, that so noble a
knight as Sir Tristram is should be found to his first lady false, La
Beale Isoud, Queen of Cornwall; but say ye him this, said Sir
Launcelot, that of all knights in the world I loved him most, and had
most joy of him, and all was for his noble deeds; and let him wit the
love between him and me is done for ever, and that I give him warning
from this day forth as his mortal enemy.
CHAPTER XXXVII. How Sir Suppinabiles told Sir Tristram how he was
defamed in the court of King Arthur, and of Sir Lamorak.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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